His Majesty's Victory

I boarded HMS Victory last month, which is officially the world's oldest naval vessel still in commission, with 248 years of service as of 2026. She was gainfully employed in thrashing Bonaparte at Trafalgar in 1805 under the command of Admiral Lord Nelson.

Impressive though she is, she remains entombed in a load of scaffolding, part of the famous restoration project begun 21 years ago. Although the insides are largely unaffected and still accessible, the externals looked like some common building site. Beneath all that plastic roofing and those steel poles might as well be a new Aldi supermarket or Bargain Booze. Building sites all look the same.

The body of a forgiven sinner ('a Christian') looks as feeble and frail as anyone’s. Yet within that wrinkled frame and creaking bulk hides a glorious son or daughter of God, who, one day, shall shine like the stars and stand in the very presence of Almighty God. Now that is a Victory -and all His Majesty’s.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52

A D